Choosing a Drying System

By: Genesis Artists Supplies Pty Ltd

Genesis® Oil Paints are the only fine art paints that offer a true solution to the problem of drying your paint. Unlike other paints, you do not have to decide in advance when you will want the paint to dry. You can dry it whenever you are ready. You will want to decide how you are going to dry your painting before you begin.

 

In deciding how to dry your painting, consider 1) the sizes of your work; 2) the thickness of paint you are using; and 3) the substrate surfaces upon which you are painting.

 

Whatever heat source you choose, you must be able to heat the paint and substrate to at least 250°F (121.1°C) and not exceed 280°F (137.7°C).

 

Heat guns such as the GMC Drying Gun are ideal for drying small areas or only part of the painting.

 

If your painting is a size that will fit into your oven, this may be your best choice. If an oven is not convenient or you would rather dry your paintings where you are working, drying boxes or radiant heat sources are recommended.

 

After you have chosen a drying method, two considerations affect the complete curing of your painting: time and temperature. Experiment before starting a painting. YOu will quickly find the drying method best suited to the style and size of the painting you want to complete. Always ensure you are using a heating method that will get the painting to a temperature of at least 250°F (121.1°C) but not exceed 280°F (137.7°C). Depending on the thickness of your paint and the nature of your substrate, you will want to dry your paint for 15 minutes for the first thickness up to 1/4 inch (0.6 cm), and dry another 15 minutes for each additional 1/4 inch (0.6 cm). The required temperature can be achieved by any method that heats the paint to 250°F (121.1°C) - 280°F (137.7°C) and maintains the heat long enough for the thickness of the paint to be penetrated.

 

Larger Oil Paintings

 

For larger oil paintings, use the convenient "full canvas" (24" x 24") Genesis® Drying Box or dry smaller sections of work with the Drying Gun as you go.

 

Many artists find success drying their works for several minutes in a kitchen oven set between 250°F and 280°F (121°C and 138°C). Set the painting on a cookie sheet to avoid getting paint on the inside of the oven. For larger surfaces, explore drying with a radiant heater.

 

Oven Method

 

Preheated Oven. If you are working on surfaces that fit into a kitchen oven (approximately 16” x 18”), you should buy an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven. Test the oven by turning it on and finding how long it takes to get to the desired temperature. Notice whether the thermometer temperature matches the setting on the oven dial and adjust as necessary. Because oven temperatures vary, do not leave your painting unattended.

 

Preheat the oven to 265°F. Place your painting on a cookie sheet slightly larger than your frame. You may choose to place some small spacers between the cookie sheet and the painting to allow heat to circulate. Leave the painting in the oven for at least 10 to 15 minutes, and allow longer time for thicker works.

 

Remove your painting from the oven and allow it to cool fully before handling or over painting. Never use the broiler to dry, as it is very likely to burn the paint and/or substrate.

 

Cold Oven. The cold-start method brings the temperature up slowly. Place the painting on a cookie sheet for easier handling. You might want to place spacers under it to allow heat to flow more freely to the back. Put the cookie sheet with the painting on it on the oven rack at about mid-height in the oven. Close the door and set the temperature to approximately 265°F and leave the painting in for an additional period of at least 10 to 15 minutes (longer for thicker applications). DO not exceed 280°F.

 

Radiant Heat

 

Paint and dry at least three small paintings before attempting a large canvas using radiant heat. This familiarizes you with the visuals of drying and helps you gain and understanding of drying speed.

 

Radiant heaters are readily available in hardware stores and in many general and department stores. They are also available through the Internet and mail-order catalogs. Some radiant heaters have fans to help move the air. Fans might blow dust onto your painting and must be cleaned frequently.

 

Generally, the heaters have at least two settings. The lower one is generally about half the heat of the higher one. Experiment with the heater you choose. We have found several that work very well when placed between one and two feet away from the painted surface. Because radiant heat can overheat a painting, it is very important to attend to the heating process.

 

• Time has no bearing on your application. When you have completely blocked in your painting or large section, you can chose to dry this layer.
• With the radiant heater, make large slow passes over the area to be dried in either a vertical or horizontal motion. You'll see the paint dry as you go.
• After the painting dries completely, you can continue to paint.
• Finish painting by using the heat gun to spot dry.
• For added confidence in the finished work, some artists use radiant heat as a final dry.

 

Drying with a Toaster Oven

 

For small paintings, a toaster oven is very efficient to use. Place the painting in the oven and set the oven at 225°F. Heat for five to 15 minutes, canvas board and gesso board will dry evenly over the whole surface. If you are drying a stretched canvas, make sure the edges are dry. Because of the wooden frame, the edges may take longer to heat.

 

Always place the paintings on the wire rack to help heat circulation.

 

Genesis® Drying Box

 

Genesis® Drying boxes are excellent because air circulates inside the box and produces an ambient heat. Current models of drying boxes hold paintings as large as 24" x 24".

 

Place the painting on stilts or put four pieces of wood on the corners. This helps circulate the heat underneath the painting. Set the heat and fan on high. Heat for 15 to 20 minutes. When drying a large painting, make sure the substrate will withstand the heat. Use good quality canvas board with a strong backing. Some canvas board withstands the heat, but tends to buckle or twist when a large piece is heated. Gesso hard board, made of hard masonite support and stretched canvas will dry evenly when where the canvas covers the wooden frame.

 

Adhesive thermometers can be used to measure the temperature of your painting when you are drying with any source of heat. By sticking these on to the back of your canvas, you can be sure the proper temperature is achieved. More dense surfaces might require experimentation to find the best position of temperature indicators.

 

These non-reusable strips change colour to indicate the temperature reached. They can be used several times by taking the temperature to 250°F during the first heating, to 260°F during the second heating, and so on. Some artists also cut the strips in half to use them twice. A useful range is the TL-8-250 that measures temperatures between 250°F and 320°F, or Set No. 4 that measures between 240°F and 280°F.